When I arrived in Cebu last Saturday from my three-month stay in the States, I appreciated all over again what a blessing it is to be back home “where the heart is,” to quote the title of the late Greg Mercado’s first radio drama in English which I anchored over kzRC (now dyRC), Cebu’s first radio station on the air after World War II. Back home seeing familiar friendly faces, hearing spoken Cebuano, and passing by familiar scenery with its now sprouting high-rises. And confirmed by my first dinner at home with tinolang manok in kamungay with slices of green papaya. All this wonderment of coming home even after my almost annual going abroad now for over two decades!
But first, to share with you other personal happenings in my last couple of weeks in the States before I came home. On the evening before I was scheduled to leave Mansfield in Texas, where I had spent most of my vacation, and a couple of days before my Aug. 21st birthday, my daughter Amelia and her married children An-an and Coy-Coy treated me to a pre-birthday dinner at our favorite Japanese buffet restaurant Todai.
The following day, I took an American Airlines four-hour flight from Dallas to San Diego in California. I was a little apprehensive, considering that the airlines was still in undecided negotiations with its workers’ labor union, knowing from my experience with sometime troubled labor union negotiations But not to worry, the negotiations were peaceful (and later successfully resolved), and we had a smooth flight.
My son Antonio, his wife Rebecca and their three young daughters met me at the airport. After a late lunch, we drove on to Los Angeles where they live in the outlying North Balboa area.
On my birthday on the 21st, they treated me to dinner at a Vietnamese/Indonesian buffet restaurant. A pleasant surprise to cap the dinner: the waitresses brought in a decorated miniature birthday cake with one lighted candle. I made a wish and blew out the candle as everyone sang “Happy Birthday!”
At home the following day, Rebecca prepared a family post-birthday tea party on a the well-prepared, decorated table with tea party fare on a 3–tiered circular tray, blue-and-white chine service of teapot and sugar and cream containers, teacups, and sliced French and banana bread, butter-jam-and-jelly, and mini-sausages, among others. She did the honors of tea-pouring. It all climaxed with lights out at another candles-lighted table, a beautifully decorated, candle-topped birthday cake brought in with “Happy Birthday, Mama/Lola!” and the singing of “Happy birthday!” as I blew out the candles and lights were turned on. The cake was sliced and shared as all toasted me with tea. It was a beautiful birthday party that more than adequately celebrated my 90th birthday. Thank you Becky!
If you will, please understand and bear with my effusiveness, but you can also understand that it was a day and event that meant a lot for me.
This week there was also more to be thankful for. When I arrived, I found in the mail that had accumulated while I was away, an advisory from the Social Security System that on or before Sept. 1st, a Saturday and a non-working day, I should confirm I was still a living retiree, or else my monthly retirement benefits would be stopped. This is so because I understand many dead retirees continue to receive their monthly benefits because some unscrupulous relatives continue to falsely advise that the retiree is still living.
Last Monday, Sept. 3rd, I had to fill out a required form and obtain a certification from my barangay captain that I was still living in my reported residence, among others, requirements that involved passing through red tape procedures, difficult for me to obtain in no time, considering that I am now partly disabled and have to use a walker.
Then I should submit everything through China Bank where I am a long-time client and where I withdraw my retirement benefit monthly. Thankfully, upon going to China Bank near where I reside, the manager Angie Divinagracia assured me right away they would would vouch for me and take care of the rest of the paper work and everything else. Thank God, and bless Divinagracia!
Regarding my civic responsibilities, I resume with hosting my monthly “Women’s Kapihan” at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow on radio dyLA at their studios at Pier 1. Our topic for panel discussion is “Disaster Preparedness” in the light of the current disasters affecting us: earthquakes, aftershocks and landslides, and the massive flooding in many towns, cities and provinces of the country. The program is sponsored and coordinated by Legal Alternatives for Women., Inc. Do listen in and join us.
From this mostly personal Bystander-ing this week, let me turn to other concerns. Despite the current natural disasters plaguing us, the pre-2013 electioneering activities in the country include realignment of political loyalties and parties, and campaigning in subtle ways relative to civic and community concerns. In the States, before I left, political campaigning for the elections there next month had already turned aggressive, sometimes corrosive, if you will.
Significantly, tomorrow the 8th in this first of the last four “-ber” months of the year, we observe the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the other hand, September is also Cebu Broadcasters Month and the 16th through the 22nd, the 18th edition of Press Freedom Week. September is also the 112th Anniversary Month of the Philippine Civil Service, as is also National Science Club Month.
Congratulations and more power to our lawyer Democrito Mendoza, whose presidency has been upheld by the Bureau of Labor Relations of the Department of Labor and Employment, as well as to newly appointed woman Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno!
For now, please pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of fellow Zonta I member Gloria Escano, who recently passed away.
Until next week, then, may God continue to bless us, one and all!